Three major dance and drill competitions took place on March 7 at Forest Grove, Sheldon, and Centennial high schools. These events marked the final opportunity for teams to qualify two routines for the upcoming state championship.
The competitions are significant as they determine which routines will advance to the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) Dance/Drill State Championships. Teams competed in categories such as Jazz, Pom, Traditional, Hip Hop, and Show across different school classifications. With many teams still performing three routines but only able to bring two to state, coaches face strategic decisions ahead of the championship event at the Salem Pavilion in less than two weeks.
At Forest Grove, a dozen teams participated with notable performances in all five categories. Clackamas secured first place in both Traditional (6A) with a score of 86.11—the highest of the event—and Show (6A) with 85.33 points. Mountainside won Jazz (6A) and Pom (6A), while Astoria claimed victories in both Traditional (1A–5A) and Hip Hop (1A–5A). West Linn narrowly edged out Forest Grove in Hip Hop (6A).
The Sheldon competition featured strong showings from Newberg in Show and South Medford in Hip Hop (6A), while West Albany led both Pom and Traditional (1A-5A). Milwaukie topped Jazz (1A-5A), Mountain View won Hip Hop (1A-5A), and Willamette prevailed in Jazz (6A).
Centennial’s Metro competition was highly competitive across all divisions. Jesuit won Pom (6A), Lebanon led Pom (1A–5A), Silverton took top honors in both Jazz and Traditional for 1A–5A schools, Sherwood won Traditional (6A), Lake Oswego captured first place in both Jazz and Hip Hop for 6A schools—with a standout score of 91.44 in Hip Hop—and Parkrose finished first among smaller schools in Hip Hop.
With scores often separated by fractions of a point, judges will have difficult choices ahead at the state championships on March 20 and 21. The close results suggest that any team could emerge victorious as artistry meets athleticism on the championship stage.
